Beauty – The Importance of Self Care for Mums

As a mum, it can be easy to prioritise everyone else and their needs. It is sometimes hard to remember to take care of yourself, but it is so important to practise self care as often as possible. After all, you are of no use to anybody if you burn yourself out by failing to rest and take care of yourself regularly.

I wanted to share with you some of the ways I practise self care, and to remind other frazzled mums out there of the importance of looking after yourself as well as your family.

Take a Bath

I never used to like baths, preferring to hop in and out of the shower quickly, but in the last couple of years I have come to enjoy the chance to lock myself away in the bathroom for some peace and quiet.

I get Ed to run me a nice hot bath (for some reason I can never get the bath water the right temperature when I do it), turn on some chilled out music, grab a glass of wine and a book and really try and switch off and relax for an hour. It does the world of good, and I come out feeling de-stressed and ready to take on the world again.

Light a Candle

Another thing I have only gotten into recently, lighting candles really helps me to unwind and leave the day behind. I find that different scents provoke different feelings, and I always try to find something uplifting to help when I need a pick me up. I know that some people aren’t fans of candles, so lighting incense or using an essential oil diffuser are alternative options.

Rest and Recuperate

I am a big fan of sheet masks as they not only help tired, dehydrated skin, but also encourage you to sit or lie still whilst they get to work. The only problem with face masks is that they avoid the eye area, when often that is the area of my face most in need of some TLC. I was recently sent the Thera-Pearl eye mask from Feel Good Contacts to try out and it is amazing how much better my whole eye area feels after using this for several minutes.

The mask can be used either hot or cold, to provide spa-like treatment for the eye area and to help dry eyes, sinus headaches and to relieve puffiness. It really does feel like it’s doing some good when its on.

Indulge Yourself

I am a strong believer that a little bit of what you fancy can only be a positive thing. I don’t agree in restricting yourself of any one food, or referring to certain things as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ when it comes to food. I highly recommend having that glass of wine you fancy at the end of a long day, or the chocolate you’ve been craving. Make food your friend rather than your enemy (and if you’re struggling, I highly recommend giving The Goddess Revolution a read).

Practise Positivity

Something I really struggle with is being positive. I am such a negative person, my anxiety makes me worry about everything, and I find it hard sometimes to think positively. It is really important part of self care to look at life positively, so I try and surround myself with positive and motivational quotes. I’ve found it really does help.